11-year-old female African elephant dies at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Employees at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo are mourning the loss of an 11-year-old female African elephant named Bets.

Officials said the veterinary team noticed odd behavior from Bets on Friday, and while running diagnostic tests, her health rapidly declined. She died late on Saturday.

"We're extremely saddened by the loss of Bets. This is a great loss to Fresno Chaffee Zoo and our community. Our veterinary and animal care teams worked diligently to assist and treat her. I'm grateful to work with such passionate and talented people. The team continues to work to understand the underlying cause," said Scott Barton, CEO.

At this time, the cause of death is unknown. Officials said necropsy and pathology reports are pending.